National
Spanish Justice Ministry describes judges plans to strike as unjustified
By h.b. - Jan 13, 2009 - 7:05 AM
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The Ministry for Justice has described a planned strike by judges in Spain as ‘unjustified and unjustifiable’.
The Ministry said in a statement that it considers it ‘intolerable’ that the magistrates’ associations are trying to ‘put pressure on Congress’ threatening the strike if their demands are not met.
The Ministry says that the priority should be the effective and urgent introduction of the New Judicial Office. The statement claimed that judges’ wages would rise by 5% this year with an increase in extraordinary payments, but underlined the government’s position of dialogue, to defend the ‘quality public service which all have the right to’.
Several judicial associations have threatened to join the plans for a protest on February 18 and, if their demands are not met, then a strike from June 26. Such strike action would not be legal.